Pravastatin Alternatives Compared

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Pravastatin	Atorvastatin	Simvastatin	Enter another drug to compare

Pravastatin

Atorvastatin

Simvastatin

Prescription only

Pravastatin is effective at lowering cholesterol; however, it may not be as effective as atorvastatin. Grapefruit products do not affect pravastatin to the same extent as atorvastatin. Prescribed for... View more

Prescription only

Atorvastatin is effective at lowering cholesterol; however, its use may be limited by side effects such as muscle pain. Prescribed for High Cholesterol, High Cholesterol - Familial Homozygous, High... View more

Prescription only

Simvastatin is effective at lowering cholesterol; however, it may cause muscle pain, particularly at higher dosages. Should not be used by people with active liver disease or in women planning a... View more

More about Pravastatin

More about Atorvastatin

More about Simvastatin

Ratings & Reviews

Pravastatin has an average rating of 4.5 out of 10 from a total of 79 ratings on Drugs.com. 27% of reviewers reported a positive effect, while 49% reported a negative effect.

Atorvastatin has an average rating of 4.3 out of 10 from a total of 302 ratings on Drugs.com. 28% of reviewers reported a positive effect, while 54% reported a negative effect.

Simvastatin has an average rating of 4.8 out of 10 from a total of 131 ratings on Drugs.com. 30% of reviewers reported a positive effect, while 48% reported a negative effect.

View all 79 reviews

View all 302 reviews

View all 131 reviews

Side Effects Experienced by Users Side effects are reported in Drugs.com user reviews and not clinically verified.

Muscle pain (15.2%)
Pain (13.9%)
Insomnia (12.7%)
Fatigue (8.9%)
Memory loss (8.9%)
Weakness (8.9%)
Anxiety (7.6%)

View all Pravastatin side effects

Muscle pain (19.2%)
Pain (18.5%)
Weakness (10.9%)
Dizziness (10.3%)
Cramps (8.6%)
Headaches (8.6%)
Memory loss (7.3%)

View all Atorvastatin side effects

Insomnia (11.5%)
Pain (11.5%)
Weakness (9.2%)
Cramps (8.4%)
Muscle pain (8.4%)
Tiredness (7.6%)
Headaches (6.9%)

View all Simvastatin side effects

Drug Class

Statins

Statins

Statins

Generic Availability

Lower cost generic

Pricing and Coupons * Prices are without insurance

Quantity	50 each
Strength	40 mg
Per unit^*	$1.59
Cost^*	$79.52

View all Pravastatin prices

Quantity	50 each
Strength	20 mg
Per unit^*	$0.40 - $0.57
Cost^*	$19.91 - $28.28

View all Atorvastatin prices

Quantity	100 each
Strength	40 mg
Per unit^*	$0.25 - $1.53
Cost^*	$24.57 - $152.61

View all Simvastatin prices

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Dosage Forms

Oral tablet

Oral tablet

Oral tablet

Half Life Drug half-life is the time required for plasma concentration to reduce to half its original value.

3 hours

14 hours

N/A

CSA Schedule ¹ View glossary of CSA terms

Not a controlled drug

Is not subject to the Controlled Substances Act.

Not a controlled drug

Is not subject to the Controlled Substances Act.

Not a controlled drug

Is not subject to the Controlled Substances Act.

Pregnancy Category

Category X Not for use in pregnancy

See the full pregnancy warnings document.

Category X Not for use in pregnancy

See the full pregnancy warnings document.

Category X Not for use in pregnancy

See the full pregnancy warnings document.

Drug Interactions

A total of 194 drugs are known to interact with Pravastatin:

19 major drug interactions (70 brand and generic names)
170 moderate drug interactions (460 brand and generic names)
5 minor drug interactions (11 brand and generic names)

A total of 406 drugs are known to interact with Atorvastatin:

47 major drug interactions (149 brand and generic names)
324 moderate drug interactions (898 brand and generic names)
35 minor drug interactions (255 brand and generic names)

A total of 337 drugs are known to interact with Simvastatin:

60 major drug interactions (234 brand and generic names)
265 moderate drug interactions (689 brand and generic names)
12 minor drug interactions (59 brand and generic names)

Alcohol/Food/Lifestyle Interactions

Pravastatin may cause liver problems and using it with substantial quantities of alcohol may... View more

Grapefruit juice can increase the blood levels of atorvastatin. This can increase the risk of side... View more
Atorvastatin may cause liver problems and using it with substantial quantities of alcohol may... View more

Grapefruit juice can significantly increase the blood levels of simvastatin. This can increase the... View more
Simvastatin may cause liver problems and using it with substantial quantities of alcohol may... View more

Disease Interactions

First Approval Date

October 31, 1991

December 17, 1996

December 23, 1991

WADA Class View classifications

N/A

More Information

Patient Resources

Pravastatin uses

Atorvastatin uses

Simvastatin uses

Professional Resources

¹ The Controlled Substances Act (CSA) schedule information displayed applies to substances regulated under federal law. There may be variations in CSA schedules between individual states.

Further information

Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.

Medical Disclaimer

Pravastatin Alternatives Compared

See also:

Lipitor

Crestor

Botox

Zetia

Zocor

Colesevelam

Niacin

Lovastatin

Simvastatin

Ezetimibe

Further information

Pravastatin Alternatives Compared

See also:

Further information

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